Luke Hochevar returned to the Royals on Thursday morning, and the club activated him for the series finale against Cleveland. The Royals optioned rookie Brandon Finnegan to Class AA Northwest Arkansas to make room for Hochevar on the roster.
The team intended to recall Hochevar this weekend, when his 30-day rehabilitation assignment ended. But Finnegan threw 2.2 innings on Wednesday, and the club required a fresh arm.
“He’s been throwing good,” manager Ned Yost said. “Feels good. Going into Detroit, with a predominately right-handed lineup, he’s going to be a good addition to our ‘pen.”
Hochevar has not pitched in a big-league game since Sept.